If you are aspiring to be a teacher in California you are probably aware that you must verify your teaching credentials for each subject you hope to teach. There are two ways you can do this. You can either complete an approved program at an accredited educational institution. Or you can pass one or more subject matter examinations – known as CSET, short for “California Subject Examinations for Teachers”.
If you choose the second option you will have traded a longer term course of study for what sounds like a fast track method of obtaining your credentials. This is a very attractive option for many people, but it places considerable emphasis on the aspiring teacher’s ability to perform well in the pressure-packed atmosphere that testing always involves.
As anyone who has taken standardized tests knows, these tests are almost always difficult, frustrating, and quite unpredictable. Many people discover they not only have to know the actual subject matter, but they also have to be proficient test takers. Each testing procedure has its unique approach, and the more familiar a person becomes with the techniques used in a particular test, the...